Our Chair of Governors

Epping Upland C of E School is a very special place. We have nurtured generations of children from leaving their families to come to school for the first time, to being ready to go on to secondary school which is a much bigger and complex environment. The early school years, for all children, is important and it moulds them for learning and understanding how to live and work together. At Epping Upland the staff are dedicated to encouraging children to be themselves as they grow to be more mature individuals. They learn the disciplines of living and working with other people, as they develop intellectually, physically and spiritually.

Being linked to the church gives all our children an opportunity to explore their religious beliefs and gives them an insight into many different religions. The school holds regular services at the church and encourages the children to feel comfortable in church and to understand its role in society.

As the school is in the middle of a small village, links to the community are important and the school is often the centre for local events which brings many people into contact with the school. We use these contacts to enrich the school by bringing in others to teach and introduce the children to new ideas or experiences. We feel this diversity of education and contact gives our children a unique opportunity to learn by word, interaction and play.

As a Governing Body we are very active. We have decided that as Governors we need to be more involved in Epping Upland. To this end we have developed a improved monitoring programme where nominated Governors visit each class and see firsthand what is being taught as well as working with the class teacher to ensure they have the support needed. Also the Governors work with the Head and Staff to ensure all aspects of the school are considered.

Another initiative we have completed is to put in place a programme for our Governor meetings so they are more varied and comprehensive than previously. This ensures we cover far more issues than previously and that we cover all the legal areas we need consider. We are also continuing our programme of Governor Training to ensure we keep up to date with regulations and new government initiatives.

Many look back on their schooldays as happy times, and at Epping Upland we want this to be so for all our pupils

Colin Tankard

Chair of Governors

Tel: 01992 572087